Infinix Smart 9 HD Review: Affordable Good-looking Phone With Large Display and Solid Battery Life

Infinix has grown to be a popular brand in the past few years. The brand offers a range of smartphones across different price segments, from an affordable 5G phone to a 4G phone. However, the latest offering by Infinix is a 4G phone dubbed -- the Smart 9 HD, which succeeded last year's Smart 8 HD, making it an ultra-affordable stylish smartphone with long-lasting battery life and impressive multimedia experience.

I have been using the Infinix Smart 9 HD as my primary phone for over two weeks, and here is my detailed review of this 4G phone in the 5G era.

PROS

• Stylish Design
• Stereo speakers with DTS sound
• Large 90Hz Display
• IP54 Rating

CONS

• Lacks 5G Connectivity
• Low Resolution HD+ 720p Display
• Slow Charging

Key Specs

• 6.7 inches, 720 x 1600 pixels, Display
• 13MP + AI Lens Rear Camera With Dual LED Flash, 8MP Front Camera Android 14 Go
• MediaTek Helio G50 Processor, Octa Core
• Non-removable Li-Ion 5000mAh battery

Infinix Smart 9 HD Price and Availability in India

The Infinix Smart 9 HD comes with a price tag of Rs 6,699 for the sole 3GB/64GB model. It's available for purchase on Flipkart and other offline retail stores in the country.

Infinix Smart 9 HD Design and Display

I got my hands on the Mint Green variant of the Infinix Smart 9 HD, though it's available in Coral Gold, Metallic black, and Neo Titanium options. When I saw the phone for the first time, it didn't seem like a budget device, thanks to its glass back panel and stylish squarish camera module.

On the front, it has a punch-hole 6.7-inch HD+ LCD screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, providing smoother scrolling and improved overall responsiveness. The display has a peak brightness of 500 nits, making outdoor use in bright sunlight challenging. It weighs just 188g and measures 8.35mm in thickness, making it comfortable and easy to use with just one hand.

The rear camera module includes dual sensors paired with dual LED flashlights housed in the pill-shaped island. The power buttons and volume rockers are placed at the right spine, while the SIM tray sits at the left edge.

The Infinix Smart 9 HD won't disappoint you when it comes to entertainment. The inclusion of stereo speakers with DTS sound is rare in this price range, which makes your binge-watching and music listening more enjoyable by creating a more immersive surround sound experience.

Other notable features include a 3.5mm headphone jack for those who prefer wired headphones and an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, though it's not designed to be submerged in water, and can withstand minor splashes of water or rain.

Infinix Smart 9 HD: Camera

The Infinix Smart 9 HD sports a dual rear camera system including a 13MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture. The main camera delivers decent daylight photos with accurate colour reproduction, but they tend to lose detail and sharpness and take some time to focus. Portrait mode also struggles with detection, and low-light photography is a significant challenge. Here are some samples straight from the Infinix Smart 9 HD's camera.

While the Infinix Smart 9 HD includes a secondary sensor, it's just for show. It also lacks an ultra-wide lens that captures a larger field of view. Thanks to the panorama mode, which offers a workaround for wider shots, though it's not a direct replacement for a dedicated ultra-wide lens.

The camera app offers a limited set of features, including HDR, Beauty, and Panorama modes, and video recording reaches a maximum of 1080p at 30fps, which is decent for this price range. Surprisingly, the 8MP selfie camera performs quite well, capturing natural-looking images, a definite highlight in this price range.

Infinix Smart 9 HD: Performance, Software, and Battery

The Infinix Smart 9 HD is powered by the MediaTek Helio G50 SoC, paired with 3GB of RAM (up to 3GB can be utilized as virtual RAM) and 64GB of storage, which is also expandable up to 1TB via a dedicated microSD.

The processor is capable of handling normal browsing and light gaming. While it's not ideal for heavy gaming, casual games like Temple Run2, Teen Patti, and Candy Crush Saga perform well.

On the software front, the Infinix Smart 9 HD runs on XOS based on the Android 14 GO edition, delivering a smooth overall user experience. However, Infinix hasn't mentioned anything regarding the software updates.

A notable feature is the Dynamic Bar, which provides at-a-glance access to notifications like battery status and incoming calls. The phone also comes with some pre-installed apps, most can be easily uninstalled.

In terms of battery, it packs a large 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging via a USB Type-C port. A charging adapter and cable are included in the box. While a full charge (0-100%) takes approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes, the battery life is impressive. In my testing, after three hours of continuous use including YouTube video streaming, the device still had 50% battery remaining.

If you are using the phone for normal calling and messaging, it can last up to two days on a single charge. Heavy users will likely need to top up the battery at the end of the day.

Infinix Smart 9 HD: Verdict

While the Infinix Smart 9 HD lacks features like fast charging and fast performance, its impressive multimedia capabilities and sleek design make it worth buying in the segment, which can handle basic usage.

However, if your budget allows, investing a bit more around Rs 2,000, it's better considering a 5G-enabled phone like the Redmi A4 (review) and the POCO M6 5G.